There is no shortage of motivation for in-form Queensland Reds centre Cecilia Smith ahead of Saturday’s blockbuster Super W Grand Final against the defending champions, Fijiana Drua, in Townsville.
The embodiment of perseverance, Smith has overcome and still overcomes more than most just to take the field each week.
Cecelia Smith, in action for the Queensland Reds against the NSW Waratahs in April, has overcome adversity to power the Reds to the final against the defending champions, Fijiana Drua.Credit: Karen Watson
But her biggest motivation is her daughter, seven-year-old Ruby.
A single mother, Smith, 29, juggles parenting and playing as she chases her rugby dreams.
Eager to follow in mum’s footsteps, Ruby is often front and centre of the action.
She’s the unofficial mascot and often running water for the team.
Smith and her daughter, Ruby, at Suncorp Stadium. “The whole team embraces her,” Smith says.
“She loves coming to training,” Smith told this masthead.
“The whole team embraces her. I think that’s why I love this team so much.”
The word “family” is thrown around a lot in sport, perhaps too much, but it truly applies to this Reds side.
When being a rugby player and a single mum clashes, finding a babysitter can be hard – especially when you’re not working full time.
Unable to find permanent or consistent employment because of her rugby commitments, Smith sometimes works as a labourer on construction sites, with casual opportunities provided by the partner of teammate Carola Kreis, whom Smith lives with.
But Smith’s teammates and coaches step up to assist.
“When we played the Fijiana girls a few weeks ago, I couldn’t find a sitter, so I asked my coach (Simon Craig) if I could bring Ruby to the game and he said ‘Yes’, without hesitation.
“She sat with the coaching staff and basically shadowed the team the whole day and got to be with us when we won that game.”
Smith, who plays at centre, is the competition’s leading point scorer with 59 in total: three tries, 16 conversions and four penalty goals.Credit: Karen Watson
Sharing in such special moments, it’s no wonder Ruby has her own rugby dreams.
“She wants to play, but sometimes I worry about her little frame,” Smith jokes.
“But I’m sure if she’s tough like mum, she’ll be ok.”
Referring to herself as “tough” is a glimpse into Smith’s modesty, because that is a considerable understatement.
Growing up in regional New South Wales, in a town called Leeton, Smith started playing rugby sevens after finishing school because “there wasn’t much else to do”.
A realisation of her ability motivated her to drive more than four hours to Canberra to trial in 2017 for the Brumbies where, unsurprisingly, she earned selection.
But injury cruelled her Super W campaign with ACT in the competition’s inaugural year in 2018, not playing a second of that season because of an injured shoulder.
It wouldn’t be the last time injuries got in the way of Smith’s plans.
In 2019 she made the move to Queensland, moving in with her brother in Brisbane.
Smith made the move to Queensland in 2019. The Reds made the final that year, but went down narrowly to the Waratahs.Credit: Karen Watson
Working as a furniture removalist, Smith often struggled to find energy for training after 10-hour days of hard, physical work.
“But what can you do?! You’ve just gotta push through,” she says.
Queensland made the final that year, but went down narrowly to the Waratahs – not the first or the last time the Reds would suffer heartbreak to NSW in a finals match.
Injury struck again with Smith on the cusp of national selection in 2019.
“I was with the Australia A squad at the Oceania Championships in Fiji and I did my ACL.”
Smith doubted whether the game she loved was worth all this trouble.
“During rehab I often questioned myself,” she reveals.
“I would often sit down, stare at the ground and think ‘Why am I doing this?’”
But even in the face of that struggle, Smith persisted.
She made it back to the field for Queensland during the 2021 season, going on to earn her Wallaroos debut in 2022 and selection for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand last year.
Limited game time during that tournament – she played in Australia’s losing quarter-final clash with England – motivated her to prove a point this season.
And she has.
The competition’s leading point scorer with 59 in total – three tries, 16 conversions and four penalty goals – Smith has powered Queensland to this Saturday’s final.
A win for her and her teammates, who’ve fallen short so many times since 2018, would be a “surreal” moment and Smith concedes she’ll be the first one in tears if they can beat Fijiana.
Little Ruby won’t be in Townsville for the game, but she’ll be proudly watching – and cheering – mum on from afar.
